Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Kifaru pack and options

Glad to help. Did about 6 miles with it on chasing non-talking turkeys on Sat. Adjusted the shoulder straps a little more. It felt pretty good before but seems to really ride well now. Maybe I'm just getting used to it too. Hope to get out for an overnight turkey hunt over the next week.

Now that I feel pretty good about the pack in general, I want to refine the pockets. So far, I have one to hold a water bottle and a pocket on the waist belt for a camera, or possibly snacks. What kinds of items do you like to keep readily available and what pockets are you adding to refine the pack?

I moved my water bottle to the left side, on the pack, forward against the waist belt. That keeps it out of the way since I carry my rifle on my right side. I also don't like things in the way of my arms to whatever gets added to the belt needs to be somewhat low profile.

prm, how I deal with this is to forgo the water bottle and use a hydration bladder in the internal pouch. That has a couple of advantages--you can carry more water, it's close to your back and up high where heavy things carry better, and most of all, with the hose right there on the shoulder strap, the convenience means I drink more water when I'm moving about. It also takes an item that can snag on brush out of the external pocket and puts it out of the way.

And then to carry stuff I want immediate access to (compact camera, map, compass, gps, snacks, pistol, headlamp, Swiss Army knife, bic lighter) I use a Hill People Gear kit bag (chest pack). The advantage of a chest pack is, when you stop for a break and take your backpack off, or when you arrive at camp and are setting up and take off your backpack, you still have all your essentials (especially sidearm) with you and immediately accessible.

Everything but the water.......

I bought 2 small waist belt pockets to hold my wind detector bottle, cow call, compass, extra shells, and GPS when not in use. I'll likely put my rangefinder in one. The 22 mag also has a pocket incorporated into the lid. I find I like pockets and quick access to stuff. Plus it helps keep me organized. I considered a med/lge for the pack itself but decided they were too big.

I looked at the water bottle holder but decided it stuck out to far. I don't care for bladders cause they make the water taste like shiite. I do the whole bottles in the pack thing. If I could find a bladder that didn't make water taste funny I'd be on it.

I find I unexpectedly run out of water with bladders. First world problem, I know. And for two years, the hose kept freezing and I had to keep them tucked inside. Nalgene bottle is easy.

I'll probably get one more small waist belt bag. They are a nice useful size.

Loaded it up to a little over 70 lbs and took hike down and back up the mountain. Not a long hike, 3-4 mi. I was impressed. My fitness is another issue, but the pack really felt good.

If so, you're not using the right bladder. The new ones are made of different plastics and have taken care of that problem, like the one below. EdT suggested it to me a few years ago, and it's great:


https://www.platy.com/catalog/product/view/id/16837/s/hoser/category/45


As far as unexpectedly running out of water, here's how I see it. I'd rather drain a 2-liter or 2 1/2 liter reservoir unexpectedly than track how much I'm drinking out of a 1-liter nalgene. I used to take a 1-liter bottle on the morning hunt, and found that by lunch time, I'd finish it. When I switched to a hydration bladder with more capacity, the convenience of having the hose clamped right there on the shoulder strap meant I drank a lot more often, didn't even have to stop walking to get a drink. So I found I'd drink about two liters by lunchtime, same hunt, same conditions. Food for thought.

And as far as freezing, if you get a bite valve with a shut-off and are careful about blowing the water back out of the hose and into the reservoir after you drink, it shouldn't be a big problem.

I usually have a couple or three of the 1 litre Platy's in the pack. That way I know when I'm half empty. They don't have any taste either. MSR Drom bags sure do though.

Assume you're using the 2L version? I like to drink 100 oz a day which is 3L but thats alot of water to carry.

I have a 2- and a 3-liter.

If you bring a small squeeze-bag filter like a Sawyer, you won't need to carry all your water. At least in the places I hunt.

Looking at a Sawyer filter as well. What model you have?

Remembered I bought my wife a new Osprey pack for Christmas. She took the bladder out....... I now have a new 2.5 L bladder that supposedly doesn't make the water funky. We'll see in the next few weekends.

You don't gotta fill a 3 liter bag full everytime. Just fill it half full if thats all you need. There are times when its nice to have the option to carry 3 liters though. I would rather have the option to haul 3 liters when needed but only fill a liter if thats all I need at that point than only have a 2 liter bag and at times wish I had 3 liters when I know I am leaving the valley floor all day on a hot day.

I also MUCH prefer the inline filter as I drink to the stupid squeeze bag. Takes forever to fill the bag with that little opening....then you gotta squeeze the bag to filter in the main bladder. Much faster to just open the a platypus big zip and fill it instantly toss it back in my pack and filter as I drink.

LOL, that's right, if you don't have anything to dip the water and pour it in the squeeze bag you're pretty much SOL. I just use my plastic mug, so it's never been a problem. Any filter that can do double-duty to filter in the field and also rig up with a gravity-fed rig in camp works for me.

Personally I've always been a little leery of putting a zip-up bag in my pack. I might have to check one out though.